Beginner's Guide to the Push Pull Legs Routine (With Weekly Plan)
You are doing heavy-weight squats, sweating too hard, and training your glutes. But do you ever feel that the hard work is still not showing on your body? Or do you still feel your legs are not as strong as your upper body? You’re not alone! This imbalance is likely occurring because you are working hard rather than smart. It requires a balance between workouts and meals to achieve that strength and shape. This is where the Push Pull Legs Routine (PPL) helps you.
But what is a push-pull routine? It is an intelligent way to train your body according to its natural movements and recovery. ‘Push’ days train the muscles that push things away, such as the chest, triceps, and shoulders. ‘Pull’ days focus on training muscles that pull things towards you, such as the back and biceps. ‘Legs’ day trains your entire lower body. This means you train all the muscle groups hard and then give them enough time to recover completely and grow larger until you start your routine all over again. However, this only describes the strategy for training your muscles. It goes hand in hand with the diet taken on each of these days.
Your muscles require lighter nutrition on push days compared to leg days. Understanding what to feed your body and on which days is very important. To ensure every drop of your sweat builds stronger muscles and boosts your strength, follow the push-pull-legs diet routine. Are you ready to unlock your body’s full potential with the PPL routine?
Why Beginners Should Try the PPL Workout Split
The moment you step into the gym, you are overwhelmed by the variety of exercises and training methods. Strategic weight training might feel like a complex puzzle to a beginner. When you don’t know where to begin, the PPL (Push Pull Legs) workout plan for the week shines the brightest for you. The following are the reasons why push pull legs workout plan for beginners is the best way to start:
- The push-pull routine simplifies training and makes it understandable. You simply have to group similar muscles on the same day. For example, one day, focus on pushing muscles, such as the chest and shoulders. On another day, focus on pull muscles, such as the back and biceps. On the third day, focus on the legs and glutes. No more guessing what to train each day!
- After three days of PPL training, you can repeat the schedule for the rest of the week. This allows you to hit your major muscle groups twice a week. This brings in more consistency and quick muscle building.
- Push pull exercise routines smartly help you recover with enough rest time. By training different muscle groups on different days, each muscle gets ample time to recover and grow stronger before its next intense session. So, no more burnout!
- Push pull legs routine is designed to train your entire body effectively. Most people neglect training some muscles and focus more on others. But with this training method, you get a well-rounded physique from the ground up.
- You can simply improve it by adding more weight or increasing your number of reps.
Is PPL Routine Better Than Other Workout Splits?
Although there is no single ‘best’ workout split that works equally well for everybody, the push-pull-legs workout routine is generally better than other common options. It is a very effective and smart choice, especially if you are aiming for consistent growth and adequate recovery.
Let's say you choose to train one muscle each day, such as chest day, back day, triceps day, etc. This can be good for advanced trainers who require heavy training on a single day. For beginners, hitting a muscle only once a week can slow down progress. Your muscles are trained to grow, but then they wait a whole week for the next training session.
On the other hand, a push-pull-legs workout for beginners allows you to target the major muscle groups twice a week, providing a comprehensive approach to muscle development. This allows for muscle growth and provides more frequent stimulation to the muscles. You can simply push your pushing muscles one day, then train your pulling muscles the next, allowing each muscle group to rest and recover before you hit it intensely again.
It leads to consistent gains, prevents burnout, and helps in achieving body goals.
Sample Weekly Plan (3-Day Push Pull Legs Routine)
Now that you know what a push-pull-legs routine is, here is how you can plan your week in the following way:
MONDAY
Train the Push muscles (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
TUESDAY:
Take a rest and let your muscles recover.
WEDNESDAY:
Train the Pull muscles (Back, Biceps)
THURSDAY:
Take a rest and let your muscles recover.
FRIDAY:
Train your legs. Include exercises for quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.
SATURDAY:
Rest Day. You may also opt for light walking or stretching.
SUNDAY:
Recharge for the week ahead.
This plan allows you to target each major muscle group once a week with intensity while also providing sufficient rest for recovery. But this is only half the battle. The magic happens when both the workout and diet are on point. There is a simple science behind it. After an intense workout session, your muscles are ripped. To build them bigger and stronger, the right amount of repair nutrition is required. The following nutrition elements are essential for your recovery:
1.Protein:
After heavy lifting and intense training, your body needs a steady source of protein. Why? This is because protein repairs damaged muscle fibres and helps build new ones. You may add chicken, fish, eggs, dairy products, lentils, and beans as sources of protein.
2.Carbs:
This one is the key source of energy. Practice taking carbs before workouts so that they refill your body’s glycogen stores, eventually providing you with energy throughout the workout. Focus on consuming whole grains, such as oats and brown rice, sweet potatoes, and fruits.
3. Healthy Fats:
Super-essential for hormone production, healthy fats such as those found in avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil support muscle growth and optimal nutrient absorption.
4. Hydration:
When you exercise, your body loses fluids through sweat. Do not forget to stay hydrated. It helps regulate body temperature, prevents dehydration, and supports muscle function.
Our muscles also recover and grow during rest days. Therefore, it is essential to consume balanced meals every day. It is ideally recommended to take three full-size meals and 1-2 healthy snacks during the day to keep your body fueled and ready for growth.
Supplementation is also as important as a proper diet. Certain supplements can help you enhance your performance by increasing energy and strength and promoting quicker recovery. Here is a list of some supplements that can actually make your push pull legs routine more efficient:
1. Pre-workout:
Taking one scoop of pre-workout with juice, water, or coconut water can provide energy and improve focus. It prepares you mentally as well as physically to lift those heavy weights and push harder.
2. Protein:
Protein shake is the most commonly known workout elixir and a convenient way to ensure sufficient protein intake, especially right after a workout when your muscles need to repair and grow.
3. Creatine:
A daily dose of creatine monohydrate works as a boon for the brain and overall health. It helps your muscles produce more energy during high-intensity exercise, leading to improved strength and power. In that case, Wellversed creatine monohydrate in its pure, micronised form can be a good choice due to its faster absorption rate.
How to Progress with a PPL Routine?
Progress is not always about adding more weight. It is about challenging yourself in different ways. You can progress with your PPL routine in the following ways:
- If you can perform all your sets and repetitions in proper form, it’s time to increase the weight gradually. Your repetition count may drop initially, but you need to catch up and build strength.
- If you do not wish to bulk up or increase weights, you may focus on increasing the number of repetitions. This method helps strengthen muscles.
- Another effective way to progress your workout routine is by increasing time under tension. You can focus on slower, more controlled movement to increase the time your muscles are under stress. The longer the time under tension, the more muscle fibre damage. This technique accelerates muscle recovery and muscle building.
- Another important way to make your push pull legs routine advanced is by reducing the rest periods. If you normally rest for 90 seconds between sets, reduce it to 60 seconds, then 30 seconds, and continue to reduce it further. However, in the case of heavy lifting exercises like squats or deadlifts, you will still want to take longer rest periods (2-3 minutes) to ensure you have enough energy for proper form and strength.
Our Top Picks to Maximise Your Push Pull Legs Results
A consistent and well-structured push pull legs routine is the foundation of your success. However, sometimes, to gain that extra edge in performance and maximise your potential, the right supplements are also important. They help boost your performance, support recovery, and help you stay committed to your routine without fatigue. In fact, for beginners, supplements can be the difference between staying motivated and giving up. Here are some of the best picks to help you make the most out of your training:
1. Wellcore - Pure Micronised Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine monohydrate in micronised form helps you push harder by providing your muscles with the energy needed for that explosive workout.
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2. Dynamite Pre-Workout
The Wellversed Dynamite pre-workout range is backed by science and offers a clean form of supplement that provides consistent and lasting energy throughout your entire workout session, without causing a post-workout crash.
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3. YouWeFit Omega-3 Fish Oil
Fish oil supplements help reduce exercise-induced inflammation and muscle soreness, allowing you to recover faster and achieve your desired results.
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Tips to Maximise Results with PPL
Here are some tips to get the best out of your push pull legs routine sessions:
- If you really wish to grow your muscles, prioritise progressing your push pull legs workout routine. Challenge your muscles gradually to help them adapt and become stronger.
- Take help from your trainer to focus more on compound movements, like squats, deadlifts, and presses. These movements target multiple muscle groups at once.
- Always ensure you are in a caloric surplus and on a protein diet. Include a sufficient amount of carbs and healthy fats.
- Do not forget to sleep 7–9 hours per night and stay hydrated.
- Make sure you exercise in the proper form. This protects you from injury and ensures you're effectively targeting the muscles.
Conclusion
The push pull legs routine is a powerful way for bodybuilding, but consistency is non-negotiable. Just stay disciplined and be patient with your body. Your hard work in the gym, combined with smart nutrition and adequate rest, is building a stronger, more resilient you.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, if you are a beginner, then you should follow a 3-day PPL split, given that you take rest on alternate days. If you are just beginning your weightlifting journey, then ideally you should not weightlift more than 5 times per week.
Yes, a 3-day PPL split is an ideal frequency of exercising for beginners. However, experienced lifters may find it less optimal due to lower training frequency.
Yes, cardio day can be a great addition to a PPL routine, even for advanced trainers. Although it may not significantly contribute to muscle growth, it offers numerous overall health benefits and can enhance recovery and performance.
Ideally, a workout session should last between 45-60 minutes. This is generally recommended for strength training and cardiovascular workouts.
Beginners can also benefit from loading their muscles with 3-5 grams of creatine daily. But this way, it takes 3-6 weeks to fully saturate your muscles with Pcr.
For the best push pull legs workout you may need dumbbells, an adjustable bench, a pull-up bar, a barbell, and other machines. You can also visit your nearby gym to access all the machines.
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